Daybook: October 5th
/Outside my window::
::we have been enjoying glorious autumn weather. The days have truly been golden and the nights are a little crisp.
I am listening to::
::silence. It's early and not even the dryer is singing yet.
I am wearing ::
::a very old McLean Celtic sweatshirt and yoga pants. The sweatshirt was Michael's when he played on the Celtic. When the team graduated, the name was recycled and now Stephen is a Celtic. I fell asleep wearing these clothes last night, after Mass, atrium, three soccer games, a visit with a very dear friend, and Karoline's birthday celebration. They are not my fashion statement for the day.
To be Fit and Happy::
:: I survived birthday week and my jeans still fit. I confirmed that sugar is not my friend.
I am thankful for::
::being healthy enough to make four birthdays as perfect as possible for four children in the same week.
::"We are called to be witnesses, not lawyers." ~from a local church billboard
I am reading ::
::a wonderful book that is not yet published. I have been blessed by the author throughout my motherhood journey and I consider this advance copy of her new book to be God's provision. I can't thank her enough for the honor of reading it now (when I so need it) and I am very eager to share it with you soon.
From the kitchen::
::anything but cake!
I am creating ::
::new lists. We travel to the beach for a tournament this weekend.
On my iPod::
:: It's what's on TV this week: First, I have a small, unique problem. Three years ago, Mike took a job at ESPN in a Washington. One of his duties was taking the two studio shows on the road every Monday to shoot live on location at Monday Night Football. He was gone about four days a week. In order to stay connected and be supportive, we launched Monday Night Geography and we developed a Monday Night Football habit that included the pre-game and the game itself. Due to budget cuts, they aren't traveling the studio shows this year. That's great news: he's home! The bad news is that when he gets home from work, he's not much in the mood to watch ESPN. I've more or less accepted this silently the past few weeks, but tonight's different. Tonight, Brett Favre plays Green Bay. I've been a Brett Favre fan since before either of us were gray. I stayed Brett Favre fan even though he's made a fool of himself. We have to watch football tonight.
::and, Jim and Pam get married on an hour-long Office on Thursday!
Towards a real eduction::
::Considering all the celebrating last week, we managed to stay pretty much on target. This will be a short week because we'll travel on Friday.
Towards rhythm and beauty::
::I was so overwhelmed when I first looked at what had to be accomplished this fall. It seemed there was no room for margin at all. I laid it all out in iCal and about suffocated with the reality. But iCal isn't the reality. In reality, we don't live inside those time-boxes. They are helpful for planning purposes and they keep me honest and on task, but life is much more fluid than they are and that's a very good thing.
To Live the Liturgy::
::This week, we celebrate Our Lady of the Rosary. My kids want to do a cupcake rosary. There's absolutely no chance of that. None. No. More. Cake.
I am hoping and praying::
::for a happy outcome for a long-prayed family intention this
week. Still. If you have a moment, won't you
pray with us? I would be so
grateful.
In the Garden::
::pansies should go in this week.
Around the House::
::we picked up little pumpkins when we visited Cox Farms last week. I got St. Therese flowers on Thursday and Karoline got flowers yesterday. Our garden roses are abundant. The house is full of color.
On Keeping Home::
::Truly, I need second wind. I want to leave things very orderly when we go to the tournament this weekend. I also want to cook ahead so we don't eat out the whole time we're there.
One of my favorite things::
::little boys with fresh haircuts. It's so hard not to just keep kissing their necks.
Sarah Anne this week::
::Still not crawling. Not even close. But she pulls herself to standing and she waves and says "bye." She's eating a little better--but not much. She's just Sarah, on her own timetable.
How's the burnout recovery going?
::Smile. I think I have moved from "recovery" to "prevention." A few days at the beach will do nicely, don't you think?
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week::
:: I'm going to kick back and relax after Birthday Week. I going to plan and pack and cook for a Virginia Beach tournament. We'll stop and see my friend Jan in Richmond on the way down:-). It will be a very busy soccer weekend, but the ocean will beckon for some real R&R as well.
A Picture Thought I'm Sharing:
This is the beautiful sight of a new dishwasher being delivered to the Foss house. Do you know how many weeks you have to go without a dishwasher over the course of three years, how many times you have to wait for parts and repairs before Sears decides that yes, indeed, you have a lemon? I do.
And now, I have a new dishwasher and I'm going to set the table tonight with LOTS of stoneware dishes that will need washing. Not by hand.
